The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1887-04-07
Hints to OH Gals and Teachers.

AAIAV w IA OgAN ASOSAAOAo
Il don't care how fine a scholar a
person is, if he lacks character he has
no business in the school-room."
1t was Il old friend, Mrs. Gray, who
made the above remark, and l had
scarcely time to join the group sur.
rounding her when the lady continued:
Nov just let me tell you a few plain
facts. No class of people exercise sc
direct and lasting an influence for good
or evil as teachers. Therefore no class
is so important a factor in the solution
of human progress. The teacher is, to
a great extent, responsible for the
future of the child. for he not only re.
ceives him at so plant an age, but has
control of him for so long, that he may
be said to mould his character.
"Children in the first stage of de-
velopement learn by observation. They
are initiative. The impressions made
during childhood are lasting, for nature
intends the child to store up facts by
which in after years his expressive, and
still later his connective faculties may
be ~develope d. Childhood is, therefore,
the time to make correct impressions,
and the child who is Sc fortunate as to
breathe the pure rural atmosphere of a
good mar or woman will be saved the
pain of spiritual a%mputation in after
years. Children are not able to ap-
preciate moral lectures, indeed much
harm is often done by those same NOR
al lectures, so that the example of a
teacher is of much more weight than
anything he might say, and any act or
word of his that awakens suspicion is
extremely unfortunate. No child will
respect or love a person whom he mis-
trusts, and the teacher who occupies
this relation to a child can hope to &C
complish little. Children are good
critics. They detect better than grown
people blemishes in character, and the
remark, 4 do not like my teacher is
often the result of a child's moral
strength in detecting and condemning
wrong.
The character of teachers, therefore,
should be a question of grave impor-
lance. Much attention has been given
to intellectual attainments, and wisely
too, but physical and moral qualitica-
tions have been largely overlooked.
Thousands of persons are licensed to
teach every year Of whose character
superintendent know absolutely moth
ing. We see the result of such careless
ness in VICIOUS and ill-mannered children.
lis it protitableP Is it humanep Is
it right?
ITO obtain proper qualifications to
teach is the work of study. experience
and moral growth, but following are
some hints teachers might find useful:
"Never be too busy to greet your
children pleasantly.
Don't be afraid of your dignity. If
a boy enjoys talking to you about base
ball, listen gracefully and tell him any
thing of interest you may know about
the game; it is your duty to be interest,"
ed in what interests your children.
''Never be afraid children will know
you too well. If you are what you
should be, the more they learn about
you the better they will love you.
Don't see anything that occurs in
the schoolroom; you will be happier.
and so will the school.
':Never use authority simply to test
it. Its efficacy depends very much on
the stage Of the disease.
.Never punish because you cam but
because you must.
'Never consider anything trouble
some that gives your pupils either
pleasure or profit. Make each pupil
a study and do not try to use them all
alike Did vo" ever hear of a physi-
clan using Q same remedy for all
diseases?
''Give a child time to grow into good
habits, and do not be foolish enough to
teach him deception by compelling him
to do impossible things; no one ever got
his growth in one day.
mo child is thoroughly bad. The
teacher who arrives at that conclusion
is not a good Judge of character.
Don't think it a crime to laugh.
Don't mistrust your children; lying
and cheating are the results of poor
management.
"Do not preach too much, especially
to boys.
"Do not brighten children by sever
ity, no repel them by GOODNESS. Take
them into your heart of hearts, and
watch them bud and blossom in the
sunshine of love."--G. E.. Raymond, IN
The Current. -